Method and apparatus for forming shoe linings or the like



March 20, 1928.

1,663,462 F. J. MacDoNALD METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR FORMING SHOE LININGS OR THE LIKE Filed June 1'?. 1926 //gj- 8 Sheets-Shea?,A 1

March 20, 1928. 1,663,462

' F. J. MacDoNALD METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR FORMING SHOE LININGS OR THE LIKE Filed June 17. 1926 8 sheetslsheet' 2 56 81123 es los March 20, 1928. 1,663,462

F. J. MaCDONALD METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR FORMING SHOE LININGS OR THE LIKE Filed June 1'?. 1926 8 Sheets-Sheet 3 IH u f5.7.

March 20, 1928. K 1,663,462

F. J. MacnoNALD METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR FORMING SHOE LININGS 0R THEA LIKE Zia/527275 Han/f X75/227555@ March 20, 1928.

F. J. MaCDONALD METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR FORMING SHOE LININGS 0R THEYLIKE Filed June 17. 1926 8 'Shee1'.s-$heer. 5

March 20, 1928. 1,663,462

F. J. MaODONALD METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR FORMING SHOE LININGS OR THE LIKE Filed June 1'7. 1926 8 Sheets-SheetA 6 45 'l un March 20, 1928. 1,663,462

F. J. MacDoNALD METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR FORMING SHOE LININGS 0R THE LIKE Filed June 17, 1926 8 Sheets-Sheet 7 oO n 85 zoo 85 F. J. MacDoNALD METHOD AND APPARATUS Foa FORMING SHOE LININGs on THE LIKE March 2o, 192s. 1,663,462

8 Sheets-Shea?. 8

Patented Mar. 20, 1928.

UNITED s'rA'r-Es 1,663,462 PATENT OFFICE.

FRANK J'. MACDONALD, OF ELLET, OHIO, ASSIGNOR TO THE B. F. GOODRICH COMPANY F NEW YORK, N. Y., A. CORPORATION 0F NEW YORK.

. METHODAND APPARTUS FOR FORHING SHOE LININGS OR THE LIKE.

Application Bled .Tune 17, 1926. Serial No. 116,561.

This invention relates to methods and apparatus for manipulating sheet material, as in joining the margins of a shoe-lining blank to form a. conoidal lining, and its objects are to provide accurate and economical procedire and apparatus for performing such Cross-reference is hereby made to my copending applications Serial No. 703,905, filed lo April 3, 1924, Serial No. 704,502, filed April 5, 1924, and Serial No. 11,525, filed February 25,4925, which have relation to some of the subject matter disclosed herein.

Of the accompanying drawings:

Fig. l is a side elevation of a machine embodying and'adapted to carry out my iiivention in its preferred form.

Fig. 2 is a rear elevation of the same with parts sectioned `and broken away.

lFig. 11 is a section on line 11-11 of 3 with the lining-manipulating jaws in open and projected position.

Fig. 12 `is a similar section with the liningmanipulating jaws in closed or retracted po- 4o sition.

Fig. 13 is a diagrammatic View of parts of the seaming mechanism.

Fi 14 is a similar view of the same at a diierent stage of operation.

Fig. 15 is a front View, with parts in sec tion, of instrumentalities for overlapping and joining the 'heel margins of the lining.

General description.

The machine comprises a hinged, dropaway support for receiving the lining; a pair of suckers adapted' to be positioned at the outer end of the support to receive and anchor the respective heel margins of the lin- 65 ing when the latter is slid upon the support Fig. 3 is a plan view of the machine with j margins over the suckers; abutment members adapted to stop thelining at the desiredposition in this drawing movement, the nippers thereafter sliding upon the'lining in their further movement; means for causing the support to drop and the nipper-'aw as- 65 semblies to swing out of the Way a ter the g suckers have engaged the heel margins of the lining; means for then so moving the suckers'as to bring the said heel margins into over-lapped relation; and means for applying a tape adhesively to the Vover-lapped margins and to press the tape and the margins together to form the vertical heel-seam ofthe lining.

Gemma may mechanism.

4.Referring to the drawinvs, the machine comprises a frame 10 in which is journaled a cam shaft 11 having drivingmeans by which it is adapted to be driven through one revolution to effect each cycle of operations `and then automatically to be stopped. The

said driving means comprises a gear 12 secured upon the shaft 11 and meshed with a rear 18 secured upon a hollow shaft or quill 14 journaled in the frame and formed at itsother end as a jaw-clutch member 15 t and also formed with a brake drum 16 at an intermediate part. A clutch member 17 ada ted to coact with the clutch member 15 is s idably keyed upon a shaft 18 which is journaled in the quill 14 and in the frame and is provided with a drive pulley 19 havingeJ belt 20.

*or engaging and disengaging the clutch g5 members a three-armed lever is secured upon a shaft 21 journaled in' a loonbracket 22, the said lever having a forked arm 23, constituting a shipper armfor the clutch member 17, a brake arm 24 formed with a brake 100 shoe 25 adapted to coact with the brake drum 16 to stop the machine when the clutch member 17 is` disengaged, and a latch-arm 26 adapted to receive under it and be supported by a latch-arm 27, to hold the clutch engaged and the brake arm clear, upon the throwing in of the clutch, for which purpose a foot lever 28 is secured to the shaft 21, the latchv.secured upon a'ishaft 36 journaled in the vxo floor-bracket 22 and provided at its other end with a cam arm 31 whichis adapted to be engaged at the end of each cycle of operations b a cam 32 formed on a cam drum 33 upon t e shaft 11. For ieldingly urging the latch-arm 27 toward etching position, the cam lever 31 is connected with the base ofthe machine by a pull spring 34.

'Lining support.

The frame 10 includes a bed-plate 35, from one endof which rises al air of brackets 36, 36 between the ends o which is hinged a lining-support 37, by means of trunnions 38, 38 journaled in the brackets. One of the trunnions 38 has secured thereon a ro'cker arm 39 connected by an adjustable link 40 with one arml 41 of fulcrumed upon a shaft 42 mounted in the frame of the machine. The arm 41 to which the link 40 is connected is also connected by a pull spring 43 with a stationary bracket 44, Fig. 1, the spring 43 being adapted to urge the lining-support 37 toward its horizontal, lining-receiving position, and the cam lever arm 41 ,being adapted t0 swing the lining-support 37 downward, against the force of the spring 43, to clear it from the lining after the latter has been engaged by the suckers. Formed integrally with the lever arm 41 is a lever arm 45 provided at its swinging endvwith a cam roller 46 running upon a cam disk 47 secured upon the shaft 11.

Margin-engaging sucker mechanism..

The margin-engaging suckers are shown at 48, 49 and are adapted to be presented to the outer end `of the lining-support 37 as shown in Fig. 3, each having an arched, upwardly-facing suction surface such as the apertured surface 49a shown clearly in Fig. 7. Each of the suckers is formed upon the upper end of a hollow crooked arm 50 formed at its lower end withapertures 51, 51 through a portion of its wall lying within a suction cavity 52 formed in a suction block 53 in which the two hollow arms 50 are journaled with an air-'tight fit (Fig. 15), each arm 50 being formed with an offset journal portion mounted in the suction-block 53 and held' downward therei'n by. a tongue spring 54 secured to the suction 'block' 53 at 55 (Fig. 10) and bearing upon a rounded projection 56 formed on the arm 50 at its axis, to urge the arm' downward in its bearing.

Each of the suckers 48, 49 is offset from its arm 50 (see Fig. 7) and its end portion most remote from the arm 50 is formed with a downwardly-projecting stud 57 which is-coaxial with the journal portion of the arm 50 which is mounted in the'suction box 53, the stud 57 extending into a journal aperture formed in a plate 58 (Figs. 1, 3 and 15),

a cam lever '60, connected b a pull spring 61 with a pin 62 projecting ownward from the bed-plate 35, the springs 61 being adapted to urge the' arms 50 ofthe suckers afrainst upstanding lugs 62 rising from the bed-plate 35, said lugs determining the normal or lining-receiving positions of the suckers, Vand the rocker arm being adapted to be engaged by respective cams 63, 63 formed upon av cam drum 64 (Figs. 2 and 5) on the shaft 11 to swing the suckers to their marginseeming positions of Fig. 15. A cam 65 formed upon the drum 64 is adapted to engage the lower end of the arm 50 of the sucker 48,as shown in Fig. 15, to lift the sucker 48 as it approaches the sucker 49, for overlapping the margins ofy the lining as there shown.

For applying and breaking the suction ofl the suckers at proper times the suction block 53 communicates, through a hose 67, with an ejector 66 actuated by pressure fluid supplied through a pipe 68 provided with a sto -Valve 69 having an operating -lever- 70, t e latter being connected by -a link 71 with one arm 72 of a cam-lever ulcrumed on the frame at 73, the other arm 74 of the cam lever being formed with a cam face adapted to be en aged once during each cycle by a cam 75 ormed upon a cam drum 76 on the shaft 11, and the arm 72 being connected by a pull spring 77 with the machine frame. i

Limbtg-posz'tz'om'ng mechanism.

lUU

The means for drawing the lining on the support 37 to bring the heel margins thereof to the proper positions over the suckers 48, 49 comprises a pair of jaw-carrying arms 78, 78 secured to the upper ends of respective hollow shafts 79, 79 which are journaled in brackets 80, 8O rising from the bed-plate 35. The arms 78 being adapted to be swung into positions just in the rear of the respective suckers 48, 49 when the latter are in lining-receiving position. Each arm 78 is formed with a vertical face 81 (Fig. 7) adapted to be abutted by the edge of the shoe-lining, shown at 82, to position the margin of the lining over the adjacent sucker when the said margin is drawn against the vertical stop-face 81 of the arm 78 by a set of nipper jaws comprising upper jaws 83, 83 'and lower jaws 84, 84 which are adapted lto be pro'ected and retracted through slots 85, ormed in an upstanding flange portion of the arm 7 8.

The lower jaws 84 0f the several pairs on each of the arms 78 are formed integrally with asliding arm 86 which is'hinged on Va shaft 87 journaled in a rocking frame 88,

push-rod 93 slidably mounted in the hollow,

shaft 79, the push rod being adapted to swing the rockin vframe 88 away from the sucker, Aagainst t e force of a pull spring 94 connecting the shaft 87 with the arm 78, to retract the nipper jaws 83, 84 past the stop-face 81 of the bracket, and thus to draw the shoe linin 82 against the said stop-face all alon its being a apted to slide upon the lining in their further retractive movement after the lining has been stopped against the face 81. For causing the nipper jaws to stand open with the upper jaws 83 raised, when the nipper jaws are in their projected positions, and to close and bear yieldingly upon the lining as the jaws are retracted past the stop-face 81, a small cam roller 95 (Figs. 7, 11 and 12), is adapted to run upon the upper face of each one of the upper vjaws 83, each of the said cam rollers being journaled in the bifurcated outer end of a small lever 96 which is pivoted at 97 in the adjacent slot 85 of the upstanding flange portion of the arm 78, anda pull spring 98 connects an intermediate part of the arm 96 with a plate 99 secured to the arm 78 to cause the roller 95 to bear yieldingly upon the jaw 83.

The several upper jaws 83"of each of the two sets are pivoted upon a curved rod 100 which lies in a curved channel risin from the sliding frame 86, the ends of t e rod 100 being secured to the rocking frame .86 as by being riveted as shown clearly at 102, 102 in Fig. 7, the walls of the channel being notched to admit the hub portions -of the upper jaws 83 and to provide spacing blocks 103, 103 between the adjacent jaws. Each of the upper jaws 83 is formed with an upstanding projection or cam 104 at the rearv of its pivot 100, the said projection being adapted to be abutted by the cam roller 95, at the limit of the projective movement of the sliding jaw-carrying frame 86, to cause the jaws to open. The lower jaws `84 are adapted to slide upon the lower end walls of the slots 85 and upon the sucker 4.8 or 49` to support the frame 86 as the said frame is projected and retracted, and the said lower jaws are formed with rounded lower faces- 105 at their forward ends to cause them to eel margin, the jaws 83, 84

ride up over the sucker in their pro'ective movement as will be clear upon re erence to Fig. 12.

For swmging the jaw-carrying arms 78 to the lining-receiving positions of Fig. 3 and linng, and the arm 106 being provided at itsswinging end with a cam stud 110 adapted to be engaged by a cam 111 formed on the cam drum 76 (or 33) to swing the jaw-carrying arm to inoperative position. For raisinr and lowering the slide-rods 93 to project andl retract the jaw-carrying slide frames 86, the lower ends of the said slide rods` rest upon the free ends of cam arms 112,'112 which are journaled on the shaft 42, said arms serving to take the tangential thrust of respective cams 113, 113 formed on the cam drums 76 and 33 and to be lifted by said cams to actuate the slide rods 93.

Seam-tape-appZ/ng mechanism.

A reel 116 (Figs. 1, 2 and 3) for supplying a heel-seam tape 117 is journaled upon a vertical axis upon a spindle 118 rising from the bed-plate 35, and rollers 119, 120, 121, 122 and 123 are journaled upon fixed parts of the framing and are adapted to guide the strip 117 to the upper end of a cam-actuated, upstanding, tape-,applying frame or. arm 125 of which the upper end portion consists of a pair of hooked side plates 1258, 125a having secured between them near their outer ends a block 126 adapted to coact with a pawl 127 to hold the tape 117 against recession with relation to the arms 125, the pawl 127 being formed with pivot studs 128, 128 (Figs. l and 3) projecting' into respective slots such as the slot 1.29 formed in the side plates 125a of the by the slots 129* in the ,relative forstuds 128 running in the slots 129 when the relative forward pull upon the tape is re`` leased, by the severing of the portion of the tape which has been applied to the heel seam of a lining.

Means hereinafter described is provided for causing the curved, over-hanging, upper end portion of the arm 125, which carries the pawl 127 and block 126, to rise and move forward to carry the leading end of the tape 117 to the forward end of the heel seam of the upper, then to descend to attach the leading end of the tape to the upper, and then to retract along the heel seam to apply the tape thereto, and a seam-pressing roller 130 is journaled between the outer ends of ,the side plates 125a in position to roll the tape onto the heel seam during such rearward movement of the arm 125.

The roller 122 (see Fig. 1) is so ositioned with relation tothe rollers 122 an 123 as to lie within a loop of the tape 117 and to act as a take-oil roll to feed the tape from the reel 116 to the tape-applying arm 125, but

only when the tape is tightened by thefor-Y ward movement of the arm, the roll slipping within the loop at other times, the said roller 122 being secured upon a drive shaft 131 having constant-drive connection with the shaft 11 through gears 132, 133, a shaft 134 and a sprocket chain 135 (see Figs. 2 and 3).

The tape-applying arm or frame 125 1s connected to the frame of the machine by a pull spring 126 (Fig. 1) and is fulcrumed at 127 to the outer end of a yoke or frame 128 of which the other end is hinged upon the shaft 42, one arm of the frame 128 being provided with a cam lug 137 adapted to be engaged once during each revolution of the cam drum 64 by a cam 138 mounted upon the said drum, and one arm of the frame 125 is formed with an extension 139 projecting downward beyond its hinge connection 127 with the frames 12.8, the said extension being provided at its lower end with a cam roller 140 adapted constantly to run upon a cam disk 141 secured upon the shaft 11, the cam 138 and the cam disk 141 being adapted to cause the frame 125 to go through a cycle of movements illustrated in Figs. 13 and 14, in which its upper, tape-applying end rises and moves forward over the suckers 48, 49 without contact with the work thereon, to carry the leading end of the tape to the forward end of the heel seam, then descends to apply the leading end of the tape to the heel seam, and then moves backward along the heel seam to lay the tape thereon and to cause the roller 130 to press it in place.

For severing the tape at the adjacent end of the heel seam after each seaming operation, a shear plate 151 is mounted upon a bracket 152 (Figs. 1 and 4) which is pivoted at 153 (Fig. 1) upon the upstanding bracket 59 and adapted to be held in adjusted positions about its pivot by an adjustable link .154 connecting an intermediate part of the bracket 152 with a lowerY part of the bracket 59. For coacting with the shear plate 151 to sever the tape 117, a shear blade 155 (Figs. 1 and 4) is secured to a small rock shaft 156 journaled in the bracket 152 and provided at its opposite end with a thrust spring 157, an adjusting nut 158, and a bifurcated rocker arm 168 (Fig. 4), the rocker arm 168 being adapted to be swung upward and downward by a stud 169 projecting between its two forks from a vertical slide-rod 170 which is mounted in slide bearings 1'71, 172 projecting from the bracket 152. The lower end of the slide-rod 170 .is connected by an adjustable link 173 with one arm 174 (Figs. 5 and 10) of a two-armed cam lever which is fulcrumed at 175 between the arms of a forked bracket 176 projectnig downwardr from the bed-plate 35, the other arm 177 of the said lever projecting into the path of a cam dog 178, mounted upon the cam drum 64, the sa1d dog being adapted through the lever arms 177, 17 4 and link 173 to lift the slide-rod 170 once during the revolution of the drum and thus to actuate the shear blade 155, the slide-rod structure being adapted to descend of its own wei ht to lift the blade and being stopped in its escent by a lug 179, (Fig. 10) striking a lug 180 onthe bracket 17 6.

Operation.

In the operation of the machines, the parts being in the positions shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3, a shoe-lining 82 is symmetrically mounted upon the support 37, its heel margin on the side of the sucker 48 being folded back as shown at 200 in Fig. 11, and the liningeis shoved on the support towards the suckers 48, 49 so that its heel margins enter between the nipper jaws 83, 84, which are standing open as shown in Fig. 11.

The foot lever 28 is then depressed, which throws in the clutch member 17, whereupon the latching arm 27, impelled by the spring 34, passes under the latching arm 26 and latches the clutch in engagement for a cycle of operations, the shaft 11 thus being caused to rotate in a clockwise direction as viewed in Fig. 1. The j awsl 83, 84 are caused to close lightly upon the heel margins of the lining and to beretracted with relation to the abutment face 81 of the jaw-carrying I arm 78 (see Fig. 7), to draw. the heel margins against the said abutment face of each arm throughout the entire lengths of the said marglns and thus accurately to position the said margins over the suckers 48, 49, the retractivemovement of the jaws being effected through the action of the cams 113, push rods 93, and rocker arms 91, and the closing movement of the jaws being effected through the action of the springs 98 (see Fig. 11), causing the rollers 95 to bear yieldingly upon the upper jaws 83, 84 as they run upon thejaws, relatively, from the latters pivots toward their larger ends.

Shortly before the jaws slip from the extremities of the margins, suction is applied to the suckers 48, 49 through the action of the cam 75, lever arms 74 and 72, link 71 and valve lever 70, so that as the margins are released by the jaws while held accurately tion.

Next the jaw-carrying arms 78 are swung away from the work-manipulating position,

through the action of the cams 111, levers 106 'and hollow shafts 79. At the same time the lining su port 37 is caused to swing down`- ward an leave the lining suspended'from the suckers, through the action of the cam 47 and lever arms 45- and 41 and. link 40 (see Figs. 1, 2 and 9). The suckers 48, 49 are then swun from their lining-receivin po sitions of i 3 to their seeming positions of Fig. 15, t rough the action o the cams 63 and arms 601(see Figs. 5, 10 and 15), the sucker 48, whose lining mar in has beenv folded back as above-described eing meanwhile slightly4 lifted b the action of the cam 65 (Fig. 15), so that t e said mar in, springing back to a substantially strai tened condition projects over the other eel margin of the lining, as shown clearly in Fig. 15, when the two suckers are brou ht together as there shown. The cam 65 ien assing from under the journal portion of te arm 50 of the sucker 49, permits the spring54 of the latter, as well as its own weight, to

cause the sucker 49 to descend sufiiciently tol bring the two mar ins of the lining into cont-act with each ot er.

The tape-applying arm'125 is then caused to rise and move forward at its upperend so that the leading end of the tape 117 is carried to the forward end of the heel seam of the linin the arm then descending, so

` that the lea ing end of the tape is applied to the seam, and the upper end vof the arm then runs back alon the heel seam, laying the tape thereon an causing the rollerk 130 to press it in place under the yielding force of the' spring 126, these .movements being effected through the action of the cam 138 and cam lug 137 of the frame 128 and through the action of the cam disk 141 and cam roller 140 (see Figs. 2 and 14).

During the forward movement of the tapeapplying arm 125, its tightening of the tape 117 causes the latter to grip the feed roll 123, so that the latter feeds the ltape from the reel 116 and permits it to be drawn forward by the arm 125 without excessive strain, the tape. then releasin its grip upon the roller 123 so as not to e driven thereby, in the return movement of the arm 125.

When the tape-applying arm 125 has thus returned to its starting position, the tape will overlie the shear plate 151 (Fig. 4), and the ta e is then severed at the. edge of the shear p ate, which is closel adjacent the end of the heel seam of the ining,.by the blade 1.55, which is operated through the action of the cam dog 178, lever arms 177, 174 (see Fig. 10), the link 173 and the push ma 17o, the blade-155mm than lifted by the preponderance of weig t in the parts mentioned, when the cam dog 178 has cleared the leverarm 177. 4 t

After the severing operation, the passage o f the cam 75 permits a spring 77 to function to break the vacuum in the suckers and the seamed lining is removed from the suckers by hand.

Then the passage of the cams 63 permit rthe springs 61 to return the suckers to liningreceiving Cposition, the further rotation of the cam isc 47 permits the spring 43 to return the linin -support 37 to lining-receiving position, an the passage of the cams 111 permits the springs 107 to return thejawcarrying arms 78 to lining-receiving position, .after which passage of the cams permits the springs 94 to project the jaws??? through the slots 85, over the suckers, the rollers 95 engaging the projection 104'of the upper jaws at the limit of this projective movement and thus to open the jaws and hold them open 'in lining-receiving position, to receive the next lining, as' shown in Fig. 11.l

lhe cycle of operations thus being `comleted, t e machine is automatically stopped y the cam 32'striking the lever 31 and forcing the latching arm 27 from under the latching arm 26, whereupon the spring 32l retracts to throw out the clutch member 17 and concurrently to apply the brake shoe 25 to the brake drum 16.

The cycle of operations as described is then repeated.

My invention is susceptible to extensive modification within its scope, and I do not wholly limit my claims to the exact procedure or construction hereunder described.

I claim:

1. The, method of joining two margins of sheet material which comprises holding one of the margins by suction applied thereto at a distance back from its edge and while so holdingit overlapping it upon the other margin with the said other margin on that side of the first margin to which the suction is applied.

2. The method of formin a conoidal structure of sheet material which comprises holding two margins of a blank of the mate- U-sliaped lank of lining material in a 13 spread condition in a determinate position and by determinate relative movement of'lts two heel margins bringing the said margins into overlapped relation.

5. A method as defined in claim 4 in Which the two margins are positioned against an abutment and are then engaged by one face only as so positioned and are brought into overlapped relation by such engagement.

6. Apparatus for joining two margms of sheet material, the said apparatus comprising a pair of anchoring members each adapted to hold one of the margins by engagement with only one face thereof with the two margins in substantially the same plane and means for relatively turning the said members, about axes approximately normal to said plane, into side-by-side relationy with their margin-engaging portions facing in the same direction.

7. Apparatus for joining two margins of sheet material, the said apparatus comprising a pair of suckers adapted to engage the respective margins in determinate marginreceiving positions and means for effecting determinate relative movement of the suckers to bring the margins into overlapped relation.

8. Apparatus for joining two margins of sheet material, the said apparatus comprising a pair of margin-engaging members pivoted to swing about parallel axes approximately normal to their margin-engaging faces and each adapted-to hold one of the margins by engagement with only one face thereof.

9. Apparatus for joiningtwo margins of sheet material, the said apparatus comprising a pair of anchoring members each adapted to hold one of the margins by engagement with only one face thereof, means for effecting relative movement of the said members to bring the margins into overlapped relation, and means for applying a seam strip to the said margins in their overlapped relation.

10. Apparatus for joining two margins of sheet material, the said apparatus comprising means for bringing the two margins together in determinate relation by determinate relative movement and means for then progressively applying a seaming strip to the said margins while they are held in such relation.

11. Apparatus for joining two margins of sheet material, the said apparatus comprising a pair of suckers adapted to engage the respective margins, means for drawing the margins to determinate ositions with relation to said suckers, andp means for moving the suckers to present one of the margins to the other.

12. Apparatus for joining two margins of sheet material, the said ap aratus com rising a pair of margin-anc oring mem ers,

adapte abutment members adjacent the respective mar in-anchoringmembers and adapted to be a utted by edges of the sheet material to position the latter, means for drawing the margins of 'the sheet material against the said abutment members, and means for moving the margin-anchoring members to present one of the margins to the other in seaming relation.

13. Apparatus as defined in claim 12 in which the margin-drawing means comprises.

a member adapted to slide upon the margin in a continuation of its movement after it has drawn the margin against the abutment member.

14. Apparatus for joining two margins of sheet material, the said a paratus comprising a drop-away support for the sheet material, a pair of pivoted, hollow arms formed with respective margin-engaging suckers on their outer ends, and adapted to be turned on their pivots to positions such that the suckers are in proximity to the said support and to other positions such that margins respectively anchored by the suckers are presented to each other, means for drawing sheet material upon the said support to a determinate position with relation to the suckers, and means for applying a seam strip to the margins when the latter are presented to each other.

15. Apparatus as described in claim 14 including actuating mechanism adapted upon being set in motion to actuate all of the defined instrumentalities in timed relation throughout, and automatically to stop them at the end of, a cycle of o erations in which they automatically effect t e margin-joining operation and are returned to their starting positions.

16. Sheet-manipulating apparatus comprising a sucker, an abutment member adjacent thereto, and a pair of jaws adaptedto draw a margin of the sheet into a position in which it overlies the sucker with its edge against the abutment member.

17. Sheet-manipulating apparatus as dened in claim 16 including yielding means for holding the jaws closed upon the sheet, the jaws being mounted for retractive movement (past the abutment member and to slide upon the sheet in their further movement` after .the sheet has been stopped by contact with the Iabutment mem- 18.' Sheet-manipulating apparatus comprising a drop-away support for the sheet and a sucker mounted to be positionable adjacent the support and adapted to engage a margin of the sheet projecting beyond the 'sheet-contacting surface of the support.

ing positions to positions in which their suction faces are closely adjacent and substantially parallel to each other, to bring respective margins of sheet material held thereby into seaming relation, the pivotal axes of the said suckers being approximately normal to their sheet-engaging faces.

20. Sheet-manipulating apparatus as defined in claim 19 in which the suckers are mounted for relative movement such as to overlap a sheet margin held by one with relation to a sheet margin held by the other.

21. The combination of stationary means for supporting sheet material and means for applying a strip of material thereto, the strip-applying means comprising a stripdrawing member, means on said member for guiding and for preventing relative rocession of the strip, and means for moving the said member forward along the sheet without engagement with the work and for then moving it backward along the sheet while urging it yieldingly toward the work.

22. The combination of stationary means for supporting a piece of sheet material,

means for giving off a strip of material progressively to sheet material on said supporting means, the last said means comprising a strip-drawing member, means on said member for guiding and preventing relative recession of the strip, means for moving the said member forward without engagement with the work and for then moving it in the reverse direction while urging it yieldingly toward the work, and means for feeding the strip to the said member during its forward movement only.

23. A combination as defined in claim 22 in which the strip-feeding means comprises a drive-roller embraced by a loop of the strip and adapted to drive the latter only when the strip is tightened bythe forward movement of the strip-drawing member.

24. Apparatus for joining two margins of sheet material, the said apparatus comprising means for presenting the margins to each other at a seaming position by determinate movements, means for progressively laying a seam strip on said margins as so presented, and means mounted adjacent the seaming position for severing the strip at a determinate position with relation to the said margins.

25. Apparatus as defined in claim 24 including mechanically timed actuating means for effecting cyclic operations of the several instrumentalities defined.

26. Apparatus for joining two margins of sheet material, said apparatus comprising a pair of' anchoring members each adapted to hold one of the margins and the two being adapted to receive the margins approximately in the same plane and means for effecting such movement of one of the said members with relation to the other as to turn one of the margins approximately in its own plane and thereby to present it to the other margin in seaming relation thereto.

27. Apparatus for joining two margins of sheet material, said apparatus comprising a pair of anchoring members each adapted to hold one of the margins by engagement with only one face thereof and the two being adapted to receive the margins a proximately in the same plane and means or effecting such movement of one of the said members with relation to the other as to turn one of the margins approximately in its own plane and thereby to present it to the other margin in seaming relation thereto.

28. Apparatus for joining two margins of sheet material, said apparatus comprising a pair of anchoring members each adapted to hold one of the margins and the two being adapted to receive the margins approximately in the same plane and means for effecting such movement of one of the said members with relation to the other as to turn one of the margins approximately in its own plane and thereby to present it to the other margin in seaming relation thereto and means for pressing the said margins together to form a seam.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my 

